Life's Journey

Origins of Life

2010-02-14T08:26:00.002+08:00

Are we it?

Is human intelligence the highest possible emergence state?

Or is it possible that there might be higher order of emergence?

If so, then it is also possible that our individual brains can no more comprehend such a state than a single neuron can comprehend consciousness.

Perhaps the universe holds levels of emergence beyond individual consciousness and beyond even the collective accomplishments of human society.

If thats true, then the story of life's origins and evolution is far from over.

Indeed, perhaps the story has only begun.

Robert M. Hazen - Origins of Life

Violence

2010-02-14T08:18:00.001+08:00

Through violence you may murder a murderer, but you can't murder murder.

Through violence you may murder a liar, but you can't establish truth.

Though violence you may murder a hater, but you can't murder hate.

Darkness cannot put out darkness. Only light can do that.

Martin Luther King Jr. 1967

New Year Resolutions 2010

2010-02-13T10:07:00.003+08:00

It has been so long since I've updated this blog...

New year resolution 2010

1. Charity

2. Diet - resist the temptation of food

3. No more excuses!!

I guess focusing on three is good enough.

I wrote 10 the last time, but didn't get much done.

Will try to update this blog more often.

Just been plain lazy...

O.M.G. 我的神啊！

2009-06-12T15:17:00.001+08:00

Ever wondered why people say O.M.G. （我的神啊！）but not O.M.B. （我的佛祖啊！）or O.M.MG （我的孙悟空啊！）？

I actually like the latter better.
Monkey God is kinda cool.
Definitely one of my favourite character (only 2nd to Piggy which I find rather cute).

Lets build a trend and start saying….

O.M.MG!!
我的孙悟空啊！！

Mid-year Resolution Review

2009-06-02T20:32:00.001+08:00

Quick review before its too late to work on this…
1. Lose weight? Maybe a couple of kgs. Need to work on this!!
2. Residual physical damages… not fixed. Ongoing treatment but back into badminton.
3. ‘The’ gal of my dreams… have to say ‘yes’ for this one as my gal’s reading this blog. Haha.
4. Golf handicap… should be around the 60mark. Still a fair way to go.
5. Charity – ongoing (hopefully thru the recession).
6. Good food in Perth… still the same old but trying out new stuff.
7. One additional investment… does a gf count? if not then I’ll still need to work on this.
8. Trying out something new… haven’t done anything about this yet.
9. Spicing up life in Perth… there’s definitely some extra spice in my life now I guess!

You guys have any luck with your resolutions?

秘密

2009-06-02T20:17:00.001+08:00

为什么人们会有这么多的秘密？
这么多不想让他人知道的事？

难道做人不能光明磊落些吗？

潮流

2009-05-30T10:07:00.001+08:00

十年前觉得那时候好帅气的新车，
现在看它们实在老土。

十年前觉得很入流很时髦的衣裳打扮，
现在看它们也实在老土。

为何人们总是在潮流里兜兜转转？
是人类眼光在进步？
还是人类眼光已经商业化了？

潮流根本就是商人赚钱的工具。
别把自己捆所在潮流里，跟从潮流。
如果要的话，就带领潮流吧！

天无绝人之路

2009-05-13T19:11:00.001+08:00

俗语说：天无绝人之路。

正所谓：山重水复疑无路，柳暗花明又一村。

因我自己知道我為你們所定的計劃，是使你們得平安，而不是遭受災禍的計劃；要賜給你們美好的前程和盼望。’這是耶和華的宣告。- 耶利米书29：11

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. - Jeremiah 29:11

Happiness

2009-04-28T20:05:00.001+08:00

Everybody desires happiness…
Everybody seeks happiness…
But where did this imprint of joy come from?
How did this imprint of happiness come into our memory?

St Augustine had a long contemplation and discussion regarding why we seek and desire a happiness life. In a nutshell, it basically asks why one desires and seek happiness even when one may never experience real happiness. It is therefore concluded that Happiness itself is imprinted into our memory which means we can recognise happiness when we experience it (e.g. we may see a familiar face but have forgotten his name, however, if the name is mentioned, we will instantly recognised the name as it is still in our memory which means we have not fully forgotten).

Did God left this imprint of happiness to us?
Or was this memory of happiness left in our genes by Adam during his time in Eden?

Cirque Du Soleil – DRALION

2009-04-06T23:03:00.001+08:00

Watched Cirque Du Soleil in Perth.
Its amazing what the human body is capable of…

The Phantom of The Opera

2009-04-03T22:32:00.001+08:00

Finally had a chance to watch the acclaimed most popular musical of all time…

Augustine on Astrology

2009-04-03T22:07:00.001+08:00

When I demanded of him how it is that many things foretold through natal star charts come true, he answered that the simple rules of chance that are part of the nature of all things will tend to fulfil some of the predictions. If a man haphazardly opens the pages of some poet, who sang and thought of something wholly different, he will often notice a verse that has amazing parallels to whatever he has been thinking about. This isn’t something amazing. It is the soul of the person at work, unconsciously seeking out by some higher intellect to look for answers to direct the actions of the seeker. The answer comes by happenstance, not art.

- by Augustine in Confessions

Graced

2009-03-18T19:37:00.001+09:00

I believe that He has been leading my steps..
guiding me in everything I do (almost anyways)..

I remember how hard it was to look for a job.
I’ve joined a marketing company,
shit job shit pay but I’ve actually learnt a lot from it,
was an eye opener and it has shaped me for the better…
to shape me for my future jobs to come.
I have to admit that without this job,
my future jobs would not have gone so smoothly.

Then I came back to the world of Oz,
Worked closely with mother Earth,
Wasn’t really a great job,
but the experience was worth it as well.
Greatly benefited me in my next job.

Bought a house.
That was a bit more than I could chew actually.
Fortunately God provided me with another job.
This was a relief as it has greatly decreased my burden.

The job didn’t last too long before another job was offered to me.
This is really God-guided again I’d say.
Recession came just after I resigned and accepted the new offer.
This is a much smaller company but my position was pretty secured.
Heard from the news that my last company has retrenched quite a number of employees due to the recession and termination of one of its projects.
If I’d stay I’d probably be made redundant.

I’ve been looked after so to say…
God has guided my steps.
God has provided.
Thank you Lord.
Amen.

The Two Prayers

2009-03-15T21:46:00.001+09:00

For seekers:
“God, open my eyes to who you really are, and then I’ll open my life to you.”

For believers:
“God, here I am, fully submitted to you; use me as you have never used me before.”

Left Behind

2009-03-15T08:13:00.001+09:00

Left Behind - this was the book I read a couple of years ago. There are 16 books altogether in the series.

This series ‘literalises’ the book of Revelation. It is the story of those who has been ‘left behind’ from the rapture.

It challenges the reader’s faith to accept God’s words literally and not giving excuses saying that most things in the bible are just metaphors or saying that God didn’t really meant that literally.

This series is definitely a definite must-read for those who’s interested in the Revelation and the End Times.

The Golden Rule

2009-03-15T07:59:00.001+09:00

Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount,

“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”
Matthew 7:12

He did not say,
“What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others”
(see Ethic of Reciprocity)

The negative form would teach behaviour like this: If you do not enjoy being robbed, don’t rob others. If you do not like being cursed, don’t curse others…. If you do not care to be clubbed over the head, don’t club others over the head.

However, the positive form teaches behaviour like this: If you enjoy being loved, love others. If you like to receive things, give to others. If you like being appreciated, appreciate others.

The positive form is thus far more searching than its negative counterpart. Here there is no permission to withdraw into a world where I offend no one, but accomplish no positive good, either.

- D.A. Carson 1982

The Supermarket Door

2009-03-02T21:46:00.001+09:00

The door may seem closed, but it’s only closed the way a supermarket door is closed. It stays shut when you remain at a distance, but as you deliberately move toward it, a magic eye above it sees you coming, and the door opens. God is waiting for us to walk forward in obedience so he can open the door for us to serve him.

– Anonymous

Extracted from Lee Strobel’s “God’s Outrageous Claims”.

Let us all walk with God, in obedience and faith.

Do you know?

2009-03-02T21:18:00.001+09:00

Do you know
do you understand
that you represent
Jesus to me?

Do you know
do you understand
that when you treat me with gentleness
it raises the question in my mind
that maybe He is gentle, too.
Maybe He isn’t someone
who laughs when I am hurt.

Do you know
do you understand
that when you listen to my questions
and you don’t laugh,
I think, “What if Jesus is interested in me, too?”

Do you know
do you understand
that when I hear you talk about arguments
and conflict and scars from your past,
I think, “Maybe I am just a regular person
instead of a bad, no-good little girl
who deserves abuse.”

If you care,
I think maybe He cares –
and then there’s this flame of hope
that burns inside of me
and for a while
I am afraid to breathe
because it might go out.

Do you know
do you understand
that your words are His words?
You face, His face
to someone like me?

Please, be who you say you are.
Please, God, don’t let this be another trick.
Please let this be real.
Please.

Do you know
do you understand
that you represent
Jesus to me?

- Anonymous

Extracted from Lee Strobel’s “God’s Outrageous Claims”.

We are all God’s witnesses and Jesus’s representative to everybody we know.

of Moobs and Beer Bellies

2009-02-28T10:20:00.001+09:00

I have noticed for a long time,
that all (except one) the guys in my current company,
have beer bellies and moobs.

For those who is unfamiliar with moobs,
its just m(an)+(b)oobs.

No I dread to become like them.
Everytime I look at them,
I see myself.

NO I REFUSE TO BECOME ONE OF THEM!

To Love at all is to be Vulnerable

2009-02-15T15:33:00.002+09:00

To love at all is to be vulnerable.

Love anything,
and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken.
If you want to make sure of keeping it intact,
you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal.
Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries;
avoid all entanglements;
lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness.
But in that casket —
safe, dark, motionless, airless — it will change.
It will not be broken;
it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.

C.S. Lewis in ‘The Four Loves’

The Better Christian

2009-02-15T15:24:00.001+09:00

Who is the better Christian?
No, not the theologian who knows all there is to know about the doctrine and history of Christianity;
No, not the artists, singers, song writers, poets who glorifies God with arts and music and poems.
It is simply the one who loves one another.

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." – John 13:34-35

诱惑 2

2009-02-07T18:38:00.001+09:00

友人问: 你抵挡得了诱惑吗？

那要看是哪种诱惑了。
美食的诱惑我绝对抵挡不了。
美女的诱惑我大概也无法招架。
毕竟英雄难过美人关嘛！

说实话，
其实我没必要担心，
因为根本就是魅力有限，
无缘经历美人劫,
与桃花运无分。

Prophesying

2009-01-31T22:51:00.001+09:00

Just came back from a church seminar,
the pastor was Indian and apparently is the prophesying type.

Just googled him (not gonna mention his name here),
apparently he does have a fair few prophesies on the net.
not gonna check them out now cause its not important.

Main theme was about walking or being with God.
Being able to listen to what God says (hence prophesying/healing/etc).

End of talk he prayed/prophesied to every individual in the room.
Some hearts were moved,
some souls were mended,
some eyes were wet.
It was a remarkable scene.

For me, can’t remember the exact words,
but the gist of it is…

I’ve been running around in circles getting nowhere…
there’s plans and ideas (business) but cannot realize them.
this year I’m gonna make it happen.

Its a bit eerie because I did had some ideas and plans but they never did work out.
I guess knowing whats going on in one’s life is just simply helping one see better of one’s situation.
It is still up to the person to take the initiative.
He can obviously bless someone,
but in the end, if the ‘blessed’ does not have a willing heart to change,
it is still useless.

Dear Lord,
Grant us child-like faith,
so that we can open up our hearts to You,
and accept Your guidance in our life.
Amen.

Leap of Faith

2009-01-29T22:02:00.001+09:00

Sometimes when we feel that we are at a dead end,
we need to trust and believe in God,
and make that leap of faith.

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11

诱惑

2009-01-24T23:23:00.001+09:00

有谁可以说他可以抵挡诱惑？
我想只有经得起诱惑的人吧！

没经历过诱惑的，不可能知道自己经不经得起。
经历了诱惑，抵挡了诱惑，
才知道自己的抵抗力。

不是说，没经历过诱惑的，
就要去寻找诱惑，测量自己对诱惑的抵抗力。
反而，应该尽量远离避开诱惑，
免得自食其果，伤了身边的人，后悔莫及。

傻人，傻福

2009-01-20T18:23:00.001+09:00

有时做个傻人也不错，
没有忧虑，没有顾忌，
没有烦恼，没有畏惧，
天真烂漫，天真无邪，
就是这样才有傻福。

我想做人该以傻人为学习榜样，
不是学习他们的傻，
而是学习他们的天真烂漫无邪，
他们的单纯无私，
这样才会有福气吧！

不完美

2009-01-13T06:16:00.001+09:00

如果, 我没有你想象中完美, 你还会喜欢我吗?

在男人眼里，我想情人都是完美的吧！
尽管情人如何的不完美，都会被爱包容或蒙蔽了。

没有人是完美的，没有人有资格要求对方完美。
女人说：如果，我没有你想象中完美，你还会喜欢我吗？
男人说：会的。

The Right Answers?

2009-01-08T21:46:00.001+09:00

Gal - I don't wanna complicate your life.
Guy - No, I want all the complication you got.
Gal - Maybe you should go.
Guy - Maybe you should stay.

Quote "Deception" movie

Following Your Heart

2009-01-06T22:18:00.001+09:00

The saying goes... 'follow your heart'..

I suppose this is a good saying,
but it doesn't necessarily lead to fairytale-like happy endings.
When our conscience intrudes,
I guess that's when we should follow our conscience instead.
'Follow your heart' can become our biggest excuse or reason to hurt others, the ones we love, and also ourselves.

After all,
our conscience is God-given.
Conscience will always tell the truth,
(perverted mentality excluded)
following it will never go wrong.

They say 'follow your heart',
I say 'follow your conscience'.

The Secret

2009-01-05T21:53:00.001+09:00

[The Secret] is basically a new age self-help book claiming it holds the 'secret' of the universe. In a nutshell, the secret is about harnessing the huge potential of our mind to get us whatever we want (calling this the 'law of attraction').

Is this really the Secret?
Personally I think its a blend of truths and falsehoods.
It has one of the biggest truth in it but it also blends in the biggest falsehood or sin there is.
Of course there's some truths in it.
That's what makes it persuasive and believable.
But how much truths and which are truths are up to the reader to find out.

Don't believe something because it is different,
or cool, or easy, or unique, etc.
Believe simply because it is the Truth.

笨女人

2009-01-02T01:11:00.001+09:00

友人甲说女人真笨。
明知吃亏牺牲也心甘情愿，死心塌地。

男人知道友人甲的弱点。
就善加利用，详细过程不方便在此叙述。
友人甲明知如此，也只埋怨自己笨。
但说了嘴角还挂着一丝甜甜的微笑。

我对友人乙说了。
友人乙说女人恋爱中IQ最少减低一半。
让我想起李紋‘美丽笨女人’这首歌。

其实何止女人笨。
男人有时也很笨。
一段感情里有笨女人，聪明男人；
但也有笨男人，聪明女人。
我想只要一方懂得珍惜保护另一方的天真‘愚笨’，
那过程结局一定十分完美美丽。
当然，如果有两个笨男人笨女人在一起会更好吧！

New Year Resolutions '09

2009-01-01T17:18:00.001+09:00

1. Lose some weight. At least 10kgs. Better diet and less meat!
2. Fix up all residual physical damages and get back into sports.
3. Successfully pursue 'the' gal of my dreams (This comes after the above because looking fit maybe a crucial criteria to my success).
4. Getting a handicap of 30 at least in golf (Currently around the 70-80 mark).
5. Charity.
6. Try out all good food in Perth and beyond!
7. Having at least one additional investment.
8. Try out something new.
9. Spicing up life in Perth!

9 resolutions for 2009. No 1st or last in this list.
It will be a very wonderful year. Don't you guys think so too?

First Love

2008-12-28T18:07:00.001+09:00

Let us not forget our first love...

'How soon do you think I could begin painting?' it asked.

The Spirit broke into laughter. 'Don't you see you'll never paint at all if that's what you're thinking about?' he said.

'What do you mean?' asked the Ghost.

'Why, if you interested in the country only for the sake of painting it, you'll never learn to see the country.'

'But that's just how a real artist is interested in the country.'

'No. You're forgetting,' said the Spirit. 'That was not how you began. Light itself was your first love: you loved paint only as a means of telling about light.'

- C.S. Lewis in The Great Divorce

神魂颠倒 Head over Heels

2008-12-23T20:43:00.001+09:00

如何让一个女人对你神魂颠倒，情迷意乱？
How do you make a gal fall head over heels about you?

情敌

2008-12-23T01:05:00.001+09:00

什么是情敌？
情敌其实是你的朋友。

如果发现有情敌，
就该放弃情人，
与情敌称友。

情敌是朋友，
只因他让你发现情人的不忠。
追求者难免，情敌却是情人认为有威胁的。
一段感情不应该有情敌的出现。
因情人眼里就应该只有伴侣的样子。
不管情人对你如何差，如何委屈，
都不是考虑情敌的理由或借口。
（因为你仍有退出的选择。）

如果全心全意都在情人上，
我想情敌根本就是不值一提，
因为情敌是个不存在的威胁。

放心吧！
你无人能比！
没有人配做你的情敌！

冬至

2008-12-21T19:50:00.001+09:00

友人发短讯说：

一生相识，来自天意；
一段友情，来自诚意；
一份美丽，来自惦记；
一句祝福，来自心底。

在冬至之际，祝您及家人幸福安康
冬至快乐！

如果 2

2008-12-21T02:25:00.001+09:00

如果当初没有他，我还会遇见你吗？
如果当初选择了另一条路，我们的路还会交叉吗？

人说不管我们人生的选择，决定，
有缘不管如何都会相见。
我想这种想法大错特错。

我相信世上没有如果。
我们不能扭转时间。
不能改变我们做过的事和决定。
我们做的任何决定选择都是有后果的。
我相信我们的路会交叉就是天意。
因为根本不可能有另一个可能或如果。=）

Christmas

2008-12-18T18:41:00.001+09:00

Christmas is just around the corner...
It says out loud the message of Love.

No its not about Santa,
no its not about gifts,
nor sleighs, elves, reindeers...

Its also not about man's love for his neighbours...
not about man's giving and exchanging gifts...

Its something more.
Its something much much larger.
Something infinitely more important.

Its about God's Love...
God's gift to us...
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16

The One

2008-12-15T21:26:00.001+09:00

People say that he is the One...
The One that was foretold...
The One that will bring upon the great tribulation...

But then who cares about if he's really the One or not?
It doesn't matter if he's the One...
If we do our part,
preach like how Paul preached,
(Paul preached as if the end of days was coming within his lifetime),
then we can still come to God with a clear conscience.

Jesus said,
"However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows." Matthew 24:36

No use predicting or guessing...
All we need to do is to do our part!

感恩

2008-12-07T13:53:00.001+09:00

那天吃饭看见友人吃前先感恩祷告，我就感到惭愧。
吃饭感恩其实是在效仿基督。
耶稣每餐前都必向天父感恩。
做一个基督徒，就是跟从基督，效仿基督。
连这个最简单的‘仪式’也跟不了，
更甭说其他的了...

那些给自己借口的... 我以前也一样...
是时候放弃借口, 努力把这养成习惯了...

St. Augustine's Confessions

2008-12-07T13:35:00.001+09:00

Had a brief 'lecture' on St. Augustine's Confessions (actually 24lectures in total).

After all the lectures, I actually think that this is a great book and will definitely go read it someday. The lectures are just an overview + some inside view of the work.

It takes a great deal of courage to confess to the world one's own sins. At least one's honest to himself. I wonder if I'd be able to be as honest and brave to confess single sin in my life...

Note: Confessions is a narrative of the life of the author and his views on life and truth.

鸡与牛

2008-12-02T17:48:00.001+09:00

一只鸡宰了可以供二人一顿晚餐吧！
一只牛宰了可以供廿人有余的晚餐吧！
我想如果不想杀生太多，便应该多食用牛羊之类的动物吧！

（看我歪理正吗？）

男人女人 4

2008-11-18T18:12:00.001+09:00

"只有骄敖和自信，才是女人最好的装饰品。一个没有信心，没有希望的女人，就算她长得不难看，也绝不会有那种令人心动的吸引力。这就正如在女人眼中，只要是成功的男人，就一定不会是丑陋的。只有事业的成功，才是男人最好的装饰品。" - 古龙

男人女人3

2008-11-17T22:31:00.001+09:00

这是我以前读古龙的小说读到的。意思大致上是这样...

女人的装饰是亮晶晶的珠宝，光亮的金银。
男人呢？男人不用什么装饰，因为他最好的装饰是站在他身边的女人。

你们赞同吗？

For what is Man in Nature

2008-11-11T23:50:00.001+09:00

“For what is Man in nature? A nothingness in respect to infinity, a whole in respect to nothingness, a median between nothing and everything” - Pascal

This may sound depressing but if complexity is measured proportionally to the amount of energy flow flowing through a given amount of mass in a given amount of time as suggested by E. Chaisson, then life is much more complex than stars and human societies may be the most complex entities in the universe.

Big History

2008-11-11T23:32:00.001+09:00

History has always been an interesting subject ...
depending on which part of history of course!

Recently I've started 'studying' [Big History].
It is not the normal history lessons where you learn in high school but the history of the universe as well.
It expands the scales of history from the beginnings of the universe to the present and even a glimpse into the future.
Weaving together multiple disciplines from cosmology, astrology, chemistry, geology, biology, and history of humanity, it tells the story of the human beings and the universe.

Note: Some may hold a different view of the beginnings of the universe, evolution theory, etc. But I guess the main objective of this study is to appreciate the different perspectives and views on the big history...

Simplicity

2008-10-14T15:11:00.001+08:00

Do we need the latest technology or fashion to feed and lick our ego?I guess we can live without life's unnecessary luxuries?

Meme

2008-09-22T18:28:00.001+08:00

Received a meme recently and sorta been 'forced' to do some homework. Well, here's my finished homework. So for all you read my blogs (rules says 5 but I think my readers are less than that), you know who you are, you've been tagged!

1.如果合法的让你干一件坏事，你会干什么？
杀人放火打劫？看来不太好玩。
玩撞车吧！就像电玩 Grand Theft Auto 一样！
2.这辈子最快乐的是什么事？
没什么太特出的事。
3.认为自己哪一个优点最讨人欢喜？
无赖？
4.如果有机会的话，你最想对你的他说些什么？
我的他？还没找到！
5.你最想去哪个地方？为什么？
一个不冷不热，逍遥自在的地方。
6.最受不了自己哪个缺点？
懒惰。
7.如果有不开心的事情，你会怎么办？
如果没法解结，就忙别的事吧！想着也没用...
8.最害怕失去的东西？
家人朋友。
9.五年内比较现实的目标是什么？
暂时没什么目标...
10.最喜歡的節日,原因
没跟什么节目，可以说连续集吧...
11.说出点你名的人的3个优点。
心地善良，为人开朗，撒娇可爱。
12.你最希望你的另一半对你做的一件事？
煮尽天下美食!
13.如果世界末日來了，你最想完成的大事是什麼?(例如: 想辦法飛上火星或月球啊，結婚生子阿等等)
天下美食通吃一遍！
14.你最讨厌怎样的人?
言而无信的人。
15.目前什么令你最满意？
目前没什么满意的事物。
16.你觉得最美的事物是什么？
事 --> 玩耍
物 --> 女人
17.你认为遇到什么样的事情才会令你觉得人性很黑暗？
背叛。
18.如果能让你实现一个愿望，会是什么？
无需工作。
19.如果性别是可以任你选，你会选择什么性别？为什么？
仍然是男，因为做女人太‘麻烦’。
20.觉得人生最重要的事情是什么？
活得有意精彩。

Simple rules: Answer all questions. Allowed to replace a question. Tag 5 other friends.

The Great Sin

2008-09-19T18:01:00.001+08:00

"If anyone would like to acquire humility, I can, I think, tell him the first step. The first step is to realise that one is proud. And a biggish step, too. At least, nothing whatever can be done before it. If you think you are not conceited, it means that you are very conceited indeed."

C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity

Life's Little Luxuries

2008-09-10T21:46:00.001+08:00

"The small cost of going without life's little luxuries...
A chocolate bar... a latte... a downloaded song from iTunes... life for a child."

This was an 'advertisement' from the Compassion Magazine.

If everybody can go without one of their life's little luxuries, life's little necessities each day, then a child will be nourished and educated, releasing them from poverty. It only takes $1.50 a day to sponsor a child. Everybody can afford this if they have less chocolate, fewer movie tickets, less dine outs more cook ins...

Previous post: 别让他们忘记世间尚有爱的温暖

City2Surf '08

2008-09-01T18:56:00.001+08:00

It was the last day of winter.
There were 36,825 people on the roads of Perth that day.
Some ran, some walked, some raced with their wheelchair.
It was a cloudy day, but the spirits of the people were high.

Activ was the sole beneficiary of the event.
An organisation which serves the disabled people.

I participated in the event twice - last year and this year.
Ran 12km last year.
Walked 12km this year.
I guess by looking at the way this is going,
I'll be running 4km next year,
and walking 4km the following year...

Note: Events are 21km half marathon, 12km run/walk, 4km run/walk, and 11km wheelchair.

Reversi

2008-08-27T18:35:00.001+08:00

I've been playing Reversi on this google desktop gadget lately at work. I must be getting extremely bored at work.

Socrates and Xanthippe

2008-08-27T18:34:00.001+08:00

Antisthenes:
“Why then, Socrates, do you not educate Xanthippe, for you chose the most difficult woman of those who exist, of those who have existed, of those who will exist?”

Socrates:
“Because, I see that those who wish to become horsemen, do not take on the obedient horses but rather those that are high spirited, for they believe if they are able to keep them in check, it would be easier to take care of the other horses. But since I wish to associate and deal with human beings, I have gotten her for myself, knowing well that if I can endure her, I can easily be with all other human beings.”

Recorded by Xenophon.

The Dark Tower

2008-08-26T17:37:00.000+08:00

"The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed."

The story starts with that particular sentence, which I think was particularly good.

This is a story about a man, in pursuit of his dreams, the sacrifices he has to make and his love ones he has to give up in the process.

Seven books altogether. The most 'original' storyline I've come across lately. You can tell that S.King had no idea what he was writing about when he started the book and personally I did thought that it was almost impossible to continue the story. But somehow he did finished it off. And hence the ridiculously 'original' storyline. Some might think its just crap. I guess that's the reason he took more than 12 years to finish off the story.

I've spent about 135hrs listening to this audio book. That's about 5 to 6 days straight. Thank God for audio books. Manage to spend about 5hrs a day 'reading' while driving and working etc.

Marvel has made a comic out of the story, featuring the main character's younger years.

Film adaptation of the novel has already begun!

Visit the official website: The Dark Tower

Mindsets

2008-08-23T16:26:00.002+08:00

If everyone can open up their mindset,
Having an open mind when learning or dealing things...

Being an Engineer

2008-08-22T20:57:00.002+08:00

It has been more than two years since I began my career as an engineer.

I’ve began my engineering life by examining the soil.
Was out of the site before construction even begun.
So all I’ve ever seen was the ground before a development project ever started.

It was time for a change....
Went into contracting – earthmoving works.
Been sent into a tailings dam expansion project.
Dealing with dirt all day long.
(the type of dirt that becomes mud when it mixes with water)
Not good.
No job satisfaction.
End product aesthetics – zero or not applicable.

Time for another change again.
Where shall I go next?
Need to do something which can give me a high job satisfaction.
Need to construct something that is aesthetically pleasing.
Not digging a big scar in the face of the earth!

Or maybe its time to find a rich wife...

Simple Christology 2

2008-08-22T20:45:00.003+08:00

Then we have the Fall...

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
因为世人都犯了罪，亏缺了神的荣耀。

Romans 羅馬書 3:23

When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.

这就如罪是从一人入了世界，死又是从罪来的；於是死就临到众人，因为众人都犯了罪。
Romans 羅馬書 5:12

see Simple Christology 1

Insufficient Blood Supply

2008-08-16T11:41:00.002+08:00

“See, the problem is that God gives men a brain and a penis, and only enough blood to run one at a time.”

quote - Robin William

内在美，外在美

2008-08-04T16:25:00.003+08:00

甲说：“内在美是永久的。”
乙说：“外在美才是永久的。”

谁比较有远见呢？
表面上似乎是甲。
但其实乙并非胡扯。

内在美固然持久，
但也就是那人生短短几十年。

外在美看似短暂，
但子子孙孙却因遗传而得益。
这‘美’也就‘永久’的传下去了。

到底是甲对呢？还是乙？

（朋友们又要说我颠倒是非，歪理多多了！）

这不是我的道理，我想内外兼美最理想！
当然情人眼里出西施，外美的定义并没有标准。

To Love One's Enemy

2008-07-25T12:15:00.002+08:00

To love one’s enemy does not mean to love the mire in which the pearl lies, but to love the pearl that lies in the mire. - Ralf Luther

Life Without Limbs

2008-07-13T08:40:00.004+08:00

If he can do what he does without his hands and feet,
how much more can we do with our good hands and feet?

His website & blog - Life Without Limbs

Men of Flesh & Blood

2008-07-08T12:41:00.002+08:00

The Disciples don’t fit of the conventional image of holy men, they were rough and flawed, capable of jealousy, bitterness, selfishness, and even violence.

The New Testament makes it very clear these are men of flesh and blood, these are really human people, with human wishes, and I find it much more fascinating to realise they are very much like you and me.

Quoted from a documentary.

So yeah, being a christian ain't about being holy or look holy.
Its about being human, about repentence, and about improvements.

Peter, a fisherman, a disciple,
whose faith wavered when he walked the waters,
who cut of another person's ear with a sword,
who denied and fled Jesus when he was arrested,
who has done quite a great deal of 'dodgy' things which the bible does not hide,
became the Church's first pope.
Note: He did not flee when the authorities prosecuted the Church at the time, and chose to stay on as inspiration and support for the Church. He was later martyred, crucified upside-down.

Home DIY List

2008-07-05T16:28:00.004+08:00

Now I know why the theme of "Home DIY list" is so popular among the western tv series.
Whether it be 'The Simpsons' or 'Everybody Loves Raymond',
this theme never fails to pop up as the wife nags the husband to do the home DIYs.

Apparently the house does need heaps of DIY fixes.
I fixed the roof the other day because the ceiling was leaking (done).
I try to fix the bathroom pipes today but unsuccessful, plumber needed.
I think thats where the saying comes about, "there goes the money down the drain".
Plumbing is not cheap. Called and asked for a quote but it was too expensive that I decided to try myself.
I guess I'm more a roof man than a plumber man.
Still need to do some electrician's work - yet to find out if I'm electric material!
Also there's gardening to do!
The neighbour's asking every weekend when I'm doing gardening...streesed.
Not that he's a busy body, but because he's offered to do some gardening for me which I refused.
I guess he wants me to start working so that he can come help out.
He's a nice bloke.
But I'm pressured to do the gardening really soon!
And also not leaving fixing doors etc out of the list

The DIY list is creeping longer and longer.
More and more stuff to do during the weekends.
I've been like Homer being a couch potato all weekend.
I suppose its time to put more effort and time into this DIY list of mine.

I'll do bit of gardening tomorrow morning I suppose...

Martian Child

2008-07-05T10:47:00.007+08:00

Dennis can I say just one last thing about Mars, which may be strange, coming from a science fiction writer. But right now, you and me here, put together entirely from atoms that've been part of millions of other organisms before they became us, sitting on this round rock with a core of liquid iron, held down by this force that so troubles you called gravity, all te while spinning around the sun at 67,000 miles an hour, and whizzing through the Milky way at 600,000 miles an hour, in a universe that very well may be chasing its own tail at the speed of light.

And amidst all this frantic activity, fully cognizant of our own imminent demise, which is a very pretty way of saying we all know we're gonna die, we reach out to one another. Sometimes for the sake of vanity, sometimes for the reasons you're not old enough to understand yet, but a lot of times we just reach out and expect nothing in return.

Isn't that strange? Isn't that weird, Isn't that weird enough?

Quoted from David, the science fiction writer, trying to convince his adopted son, Dennis, who believes he is from Mars (the kid in the box), that being from Mars isn't that weird after all, in "Martian Child".

Fitna

2008-06-29T09:06:00.001+08:00

Watched Fitna the movie (only 10mins) the other day.

The movie is made by a Dutch politician, attacking Islam and its Quran.
The movie shows disturbing verses from the Quran and violent preaches of the imams.
It isn't right to do so, attacking another religion.
And also picking only particular verses and not the whole paragraph or chapter.
However, to him he believes that Islam is evil and should be eradicated.
That is why this 'movie' came out because he thinks it is his duty to show the 'true' colors of the Quran.

I do not have any comments on the Quran as I have not read it in full personally.
But I wonder how many muslims have read the Quran in full and know what they are believing in,
whether the Fitna really shows the true face of Islam and its Quran.
But then I suppose the same goes for every other believers in their faiths.

伸手不见五指

2008-06-27T23:22:00.002+08:00

夜。
阴冷。
漆黑。

澡。
停电。
乌漆。

房里漆黑一片，
伸手不见五指，
庆幸热水仍在。

起初也没觉得什么，
澡继续洗，
但久了觉得无聊，
开始想盲人真了得，
可以这样的生活，
什么也看不见。

再过了一阵子，
开始试着想想看过的鬼片，
咒愿里的洗澡房鬼，
鬼水凶灵里的长发水鬼，
心里也就开始毛毛的，
结果就不再拖泥带水的把澡洗完！

电也就在洗好澡后不久回来了。

Been there... Done that... 2 (cont')

2008-06-22T15:33:00.003+08:00

Continuation of Been there... Done that... 2

Climbed the roof again just now
this time my steps were quicker
can't b bothered if the roof collapse anymore
didn't go along the spine but went for the shorter but weaker route.

My last 'repair' was a total failure
didn't even last a rainfall
(and I was hoping it will last for a few years)
the spare tile above the broken one was a big mistake
because the water the flows under the tile and into the hole
didn't take into consideration about the water flowing from all the tiles higher than the hole.
a bit embarrassed to mention that I'm a civil engineer.

This time I'm armed with a silicone (glue) gun and some plastic
and off I go roof climbing.
Tear off all the repairs (aluminium foils and tar) of the last repair by the roofers (before my time),
(the repair was pretty dodgy and I guess it was done by the previous owner)
and I substituted the broken with the spare
doesn't quite fit (thats why I did not do it last time) but I guess it'll serve its purpose well.
For another few years at least (fingers crossed this time).

All You Can

2008-06-22T15:26:00.003+08:00

Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.

- John Wesley (1703-1791)

岂能无动于衷

2008-06-22T15:15:00.002+08:00

四川省汶川县八级地震
在摇荡中许多人与亲人永隔
散布在乡间的房屋瞬间震垮
五月十二日是天府之国四川的心痛的日子
主啊！
求你怜悯医治这大地
求你安慰拯救受伤者
重建之路十分遥远与艰辛
我们将与他们一同走过！

- 基督徒社会关怀部

送爱到缅甸

2008-06-22T15:05:00.002+08:00

纳吉斯（Nargis）连续十小时的豪雨浸襲
在缅甸南方的伊洛瓦底三角洲（Irrawaddy）及仰光
许多人丧失了生命
无数的人流离失所
谁来对他们伸出援手？
请我们共同关怀他们！

- 基督徒社会关怀部

禅 Zen

2008-06-21T09:09:00.003+08:00

我有一个从南美洲来的朋友同事，最近读了一本西班牙语的禅宗书籍，了解了一些禅宗教义，与我分享。到底他对这些教义的了解有多深，有无误解，我不清楚，因我对禅宗了解不深。

基本的部分教义如下：
人生最重要的是“现在”。
不相信昨天明天，过去未来。
人应该了解他们每一刻都在“存在”着。
因此，人应该懂得享受此时此刻。
不但吃喝玩乐要享受，
连劳苦，淋雨，发呆，生病，行走等都得懂得享受那一刻。

我想这样的人的却会比较快乐开心吧！

虽说这样的人比较快乐，但人生中心却在于自身，却非我认同。
享受归享受，但人生中心该在于助人为己任。

（在此叙述的禅宗教义乃来自友人，准确程度未得验实。对禅宗的认识较深的朋友们不妨多留言与纠正。）

Efficient Sleeping

2008-06-18T10:14:00.001+08:00

I wonder if one could split our 8hrs sleeping time to 4hrs and 4hrs.
If this is possible, it would make our work and play much more efficient.

Unless 4hrs is not enough to get our body into the deep sleep stage for regeneration?
Any experts on this subject?

水火不容

2008-06-18T10:12:00.000+08:00

你生命中是否遇见过一个与你水火不容的人？
即使你对他没有任何恶意，
没做过任何对不起他的事，
没说过任何不中听的话；
但在他眼中你就是那么讨人厌，
使他觉得必须时时防范，时时攻击，
就好像你得罪了他的十八代祖宗，
或前世欠了他人情还没还清！

（当然这只是比喻，我并不相信前世因缘。）

The Gift of Life

2008-06-15T13:14:00.003+08:00

The ultimate gift of God to us is His gift of Life to us.

It is already worth giving thanks to be alive,
and all other things we have in life should be considered as a bonus,
whether it be our family, relatives, or freinds...
or the butter on the bread that melts in the mouth when we have breakfast every morning,
or the mattress that we sleep upon comfortably every night,
or simply the shelter we have over our heads every day...

This way we can be easily contented,
and always have a grateful heart,
no matter what we have in this life.

Life is His beautiful gift for us.

Aussie Greeters

2008-06-11T07:06:00.002+08:00

I find it very annoying when Aussies 'greet' you.
They'd say...
"How's it going mate?"
"How'r ya today mate?" etc
If these were opening lines for a conversation then its okay, I use it too.
If they mean what they say, usually they don't, its okay too.

However, they seem to overuse these lines as a form of greeting even to strangers and whoever they see, and everytime they 'ask' these 'greetings' I'd have to say 'great' and 'ask' him back. Then he replies the same and heads off because we're just passing each other. I find this meaningless.

Nowadays, we're just walking too fast to pause and reply-then-ask. So usually I'd just reply and not 'ask' them how are they anymore.
Or I'd just say "g'day or g'morning" (or whatever's appropriate) and they'd do the same. I find this works quite well. More so for mates that have worked with me for some time. They hardly say "How's it going mate?" anymore.

Hope this blends into the culture soon. =D

Whats the Difference?

2008-06-08T15:41:00.003+08:00

Whats the uniqueness of Christianity to others?

It is not the incarnation, nor the resurrection,
though these doctrines are essential to the Christian theology,
they are not unique.

The law of Moses,
the eight-fold path,
the five pillars of faith,
are all ways and practices to gain salvation by self works and deeds...

Christ taught something unique...
He taught about the grace of God,
that salvation cannot be earn by deeds or works of man,
but is the gift of God,
which all we need to do is to accept it...

Are We ...

2008-06-07T23:41:00.004+08:00

... too proud?
... too boastful?
... too fake?
... too materialistic?
... too full of ourselves?
... too competitive?
... too egoistic?

We may not see ourselves that way most of the times...
but deep down everyone of us are guilty of that...
and we know it!

Been there... Done that... 3

2008-06-04T07:18:00.003+08:00

Didn't think that I'd write this so soon after the previous post.
Matter of fact is... I've done it again!

Drowned my company's handphone last night.
It was a deadly fatality...
Hot boiling water and high speed (5xG-force at least?) spin...
Don't think it even had a chance of survival!

It lived a short life,
but it had served me well...

Washing machine VS mobile phone
the obvious winner --> w. machine

Don't try this at home!

Eat, Drink, and Enjoy Life

2008-06-01T17:29:00.003+08:00

Can you believe that this verse is from the bible?
I would carry this sentence from the bible with me all my life to justify my enjoyment in life with food, drinks and pleasures.

So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. (Ecclesiastes 8:15a)

Unfortunately, what looks like its too-good-to-be-true can't be true. This is the problem nowadays people breaking up the scriptures to sentences they want to hear.

This is the second part of the verse:

That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 8:15b)

Take note of the words 'hard work'...
No wonder life is hard...

Been there... Done that... 2

2008-06-01T16:22:00.003+08:00

Climbed into the ceiling yesterday.
Dusty and creepy (because I watch too many horror movies? haha).
Found the source of the leak but unfortunately can't be fixed from inside the ceiling.

Therefore,
I climbed the roof today.
Walked the roof.
No, I should say I 'crawled' the roof.

The main roof beam tiles was full of cracks...
Looking at the cracks and listening to the tile-on-tile-frictions upon each step sends chills down the spine...
People say 心里不踏实,
I say 脚底不踏实...

In order to increase safety, I decided to use all four to crawl along the roof,
Not forgetting to imitate spider-man (to look cool not dodgy) just in case a passer-by see me.
The point with 'crawling' is to spread my full weight to my four limbs to different beams, roughly halving my weight on each beam.
(standing straight will concentrate all my weight to a certain point on the beam which I don't think is good)
At some weaker points, I even try sitting on the roof so I have five points of contact, so I can distribute some of my weight thru my butt as well.

Finally managed to crawl to the small crack in the tile.
Took a spare tile and cover the crack.
The spare tile was lying on the roof - don't know why.
That should roughly fix the problem and hopefully last for a few years.

Life is fragile...
Each step on the roof, the only thing that runs thru my mind was...
If the tiles break...
If I fall off the roof...
There would not be anything I could do to save myself at that point.
I might get some minor scratches and bruises,
or some fracture bones and rib,
or become paralyzed and even die.
All I could do was to take whatever safety precautions I can,
and be as careful as I can,
and say to God, 'the rest I leave it to your hands'.

I suppose the same goes for every other things we do in this life...
We can only do the best we can, and leave the rest to God.

of Spasms and Coolness

2008-05-31T12:10:00.003+08:00

Went to GrooveTV hiphop competition last night.
Hiphop includes krumps, locking, breakdancing, rapping, and so on.

The opening scene was a bunch of teens doing krumps.
I never knew such a dance existed!
Looked like orangutan or neanderthals in spasms...
(you can youtube krump and judge for yourself)

But then the applause and cheers was unexpectedly loud when some of them manage to do some 'super-spasms'...
Now I wonder if its my definition of 'coolness' and taste getting further away from the next generation....

The dances were cool and creative overall,
cannot imagine myself doing any of those though.
Some were graceful, some looked constipated.
Of course there's the neanderthals in spasms,
and some are just cute! - kids doing hiphop with some adults moves...
and of course there's some which are just weird moves - totally not cool at all.
Told my friend that 'there sure is a lot of weird people out there' and she just laughed...LOL!

I might just go do some capoeira and maybe even breakdancing next time....
Just for the fun of it!
So that I've been there and done that!

Who is Jesus? 3

2008-05-30T06:40:00.003+08:00

This is the person we worship…
He was not born in royalty or wealth.
He was born in a manger.
He was the son of a carpenter and was a carpenter himself.
He was even called a drunkard and glutton.
He was a friend to sinners.
He was radical in his teachings.
He taught us about God’s love and His kingdom.
He taught us to love one another.
He taught us to love and bless even our enemies.
He taught us to the way of life.
He healed the sick and the disabled.
He wept for his friend.
He raised the dead.
He washed even his disciples’ feet.
He was abandoned by his disciples at the time of his arrest and crucifixion.
He was crucified only after two to three years of his ministry.

So why do we worship him?
His ministry period only lasted two to three years.
His death was a death of criminals – tortured and crucified.
His disciples fled and denied him during his darkest hours.
His claims were outrageous which no other major religion founders dared to claim – one of which he claimed to be God.
(see previous post Who is Jesus? for other claims)

I've always been amazed at the differences of Jesus and other religion founders.
I've always think that the most important thing to know when stepping into a religion is the life of its founder - his life, teachings, claims, and deeds.

Fortunate Or Unfortunate?

2008-05-29T15:37:00.003+08:00

Had a puncture last night when I was driving home.
Spent probably 30mins to an hour to change the tyre.

Well, one would think how unfortunate that this has happened..
But I'll tell them, it is definitely a fortunate thing.
If it were to puncture when I was driving more than 100km/hr,
down the two-lane (two-ways) highway to work next morning,
who knows what might happen?
I might not be writing here anymore.

But fortunately, it happened last night while I was only on a 60km/hr road.
So no big issues there.
Just slow down and find a place to park.

Its a wonder how a slight change of the way you think can affect your mood during and after the incident.
So whenever an 'unfortunate' incident happens to you,
stop and think again,
because you may find out that that incident may not be as unfortunate as you think...

What a Wonderful World 2

2008-05-28T07:16:00.002+08:00

If you want to have a break from reading news regarding all the bad things that happens around the world, or if you are wondering if there's any good left in the world, read this:

Wonderful World from MSNBC

I've just found out that MSNBC has a frontpage on 'Wonderful World' in their World News section just below their 'terrorism' section.

Apparently there's still some love in the world...

浩劫中创造奇迹

2008-05-27T17:39:00.003+08:00

这次的浩劫，
使世人团结起来帮助灾民。

我们也许不明白为何上帝要让这些灾难发生，
但通过报导我们可以知道世间仍然充满着爱。

我想也许其中一个原因，
是要让我们沉淀在心底的爱心，
对慈济的爱心重新燃烧起来，
使人们团结一心，
为灾民们创造一个又一个的奇迹吧！

Quotes by Mother Teresa

2008-05-24T10:36:00.003+08:00

Each one of them is Jesus in disguise.

If you judge people, you have no time to love them.

Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.

If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one.

God doesn't require us to succeed; he only requires that you try.

Do not think that love, in order to be genuine, has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired.

Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work.

(Quotes by Mother Teresa)

Who is Jesus? 2

2008-05-23T15:33:00.002+08:00

The argument goes like this ...

"I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: 'I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God.' That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic - on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg - or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronising nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to."
(Excerpt from Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis)

So is Jesus, the founder of the world's largest religion, having more than 2 billion believers in the 21st century, a lunatic, the devil from hell, or the Son of God?

Who is Jesus?

2008-05-23T15:03:00.003+08:00

He was ...
Jew
Carpenter
Teacher
Prophet
Healer & Miracle-worker

He taught us to ...
Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, & strength.
Love your neighbour as yourself.

He claims to be ...
Sinless
Able to Forgive Sins
The Prophesied Messiah
The Light of the World
The Truth & the Way & the Life
The Only Way to God
The Bread of Life – the Giver of Life
The Only One who knows God the Father
The Resurrection & the Life
The Judge at the End of Days
Has All Authority on Heaven & on Earth
The Eternal Word
God the Son

Note: these claims can be easily found in the internet.

如果

2008-05-23T09:15:00.002+08:00

如果时光可以倒流，
你会做什么呢？

是否尝试禰补悔恨，
挽救一些人生错误的决定？
还是尝试换个人生，
一个充满充实精彩的人生？

不想若干年后回首时，
心里涌起一股无奈，后悔莫及的感慨，
才发现其实人生可以过得更充实，更精彩。

常常我们会在人生路上迷失方向，
一直追求荣华富贵，满足我们强烈的虚荣心，
以致在人生的东奔西跑中抛离了我们人生伴侣在后头，
忽略了亲人的温馨依赖，情人的爱恋幸福，朋友的挚诚信任。

God on the Cross

2008-05-23T08:36:00.002+08:00

I could never myself believe in God, if it were not for the cross. The only God I believe in is the One Nietzche ridiculed as ‘God on the cross’. In the real world of pain, how could one worship a God who was immune to it? I have entered many Buddhist temples in different Asian countries and stood respectfully before the statue of the Buddha, his legs crossed, arms folded, eyes closed, the ghost of a smile playing round his mouth, a remote look on his face, detached from the agonies of the world. But each time after a while I have had to turn away. And in imagination I have turned instead to that lonely, twisted, tortured figure on the cross, nails through hands and feet, back lacerated, limbs wrenched, brow bleeding from thorn-pricks, mouth dry and intolerably thirsty, plunged in God-forsaken darkness. That is the God for me! He laid aside his immunity to pain. He entered our world of flesh and blood, tears and death. He suffered for us. Our sufferings become more manageable in the light of his. There is still a question mark against human suffering, but over it we boldly stamp another mark, the cross which symbolizes divine suffering. “The cross of Christ … is God’s only self-justification in such a world’ as ours.

(excerpt from “The Cross of Christ” by John Stott)

小孩与天堂

2008-05-21T11:59:00.005+08:00

无辜的小孩，为何会遭受到天灾？
他们是多么的天真可爱，单纯无辜...
难道这是他们前世的罪孽吗？
我们可能永远也不会明白上帝让天灾发生的因由，
但是上帝已给在灾难中失去小孩的父母应许与安慰...

耶稣却叫他们来，说：“让小孩子到我这里来，不要禁止他们；因为在神国的正是这样的人。我实在告诉你们，凡要承受神国的，若不像小孩子，断不能进去。” （路加福音 18：16-17）

“我实在告诉你们，你们若不回转，变成小孩子的样式，断不得进天国。所以，凡自己谦卑像这小孩子的，他在天国里就是最大的。”
（马太福音 18：3-4）

乞丐老人与穷寡妇

2008-05-21T10:35:00.001+08:00

(Photo from CNETNews.com.cn)

读了这篇新闻感到实在惭愧！（新闻在此）
乞丐老人可以为灾民捐出他的所有，我们呢？

读后便记起耶稣对于穷寡妇的评赞...
财主们和穷寡妇同时向圣殿银库做出捐款，
财主们捐了许多，穷寡妇只捐了少许。

耶稣叫门徒来，说；“我实在告诉你们，这穷寡妇投入库里的，比众人所投的更多。因为，他们都是自己有馀，拿出来投在里头：但这寡妇是自己不足，把他一切养生的都投上了。” （马可12：43-44）

怕鬼？

2008-05-18T14:57:00.004+08:00

好多朋友们都说怕鬼，
不敢看鬼戏，听鬼故事，
鬼，真的这么可怕吗？

鬼不外是一个没身体的灵魂而已。
我们人具备完整的身体灵魂为何要怕这些孤魂野鬼？

但是，
如果说所谓的鬼是指邪灵恶魔的话，
那我们人就有惧怕的理由了。
简单说，对于这些“鬼”，
人可说几乎是任由宰割，毫无办法了。

我们在主里的弟兄姐妹们，
可没有任何理由惧怕，
因为我们已经接受主住在我们心里，
而我们也活在主里。
每一个活在主里的弟兄们，
都有着用主名驱魔的权柄，
这只是我们信心大小的问题。

如果没什么信心，
也不要紧，不必害怕，
因为主在我们心里，
鬼必不敢侵犯。

凡认耶稣为神儿子的，神就住在他里面，他也住在神里面。
（約翰一書 4：15）

十元，一元

2008-05-18T14:02:00.003+08:00

如果我们知道捐十元，
只有一元会到灾民的手中，
我们还是一定要捐，
因为如果因此而不捐的话，
他们将连一元也不会得到。

活在幸福中的我们，
别忘记灾难中的同胞们。

Tracy: where can i donate money to da victims in china?

me: thru church // otherwise https://www.redcross.org.au/Donations/onlineDonations.asp

Tracy: Ok, done

me: u donated?

Tracy: yes // from my own wages // feel great // hahaha

me: haha // yeah
(Windows Live Messenger Chat Dialog)

Deep Gladness, Deep Hunger

2008-05-18T13:36:00.004+08:00

"...The kind of work God usually calls you to is the kind of work (a) that you need most to do and (b) the world most needs to have done. If you really get a kick out of your work, you've presumably met requirement (a), but if your work is writing TV deodorant commercials, the chances are you've missed requirement (b). On the other hand, if your work is being a doctor in a leper colony, you have probably met (b), but if most of the time you're bored and depressed by it, the chances are you haven't only bypassed (a) but probably aren't helping your patients much either....The piece God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet."
(Frederick Buechner, Wishful Thinking: A Theological ABC)

Let us find our deep gladness in what we do everyday to meet the world's deep hunger..
In whatever we do, we do it for God's glory.
Let us be happy with our work we do everyday,
so we can be a blessing to others.

We may not be the ones who are in the action field of disasters and poverties,
but we can still make a difference in what we do everyday.

男人女人 2

2008-05-16T10:37:00.003+08:00

那人说：“这是我骨中的骨，肉中的肉，可以称他为女人，因为他是从男人身上取出来的。” 因此，人要离开父母，与妻子连合，二人成为一体。
（创世纪 2:23-24)

男人爱女人就应该像爱自己一样，
因为女人本是男人的骨中的骨，肉中的肉。
上帝造人造了一双，
这就是为什么人会感觉孤单寂寞。

男人女人

2008-05-16T08:40:00.004+08:00

耶和华神说；“那人[男人亚当]独居不好，我要为他造一个配偶[女人夏娃]帮助他。” (创世纪 2:18)

“每一个成功的男人背后都有一个女人。”
我想这句话不是没有根据的吧！

The Long Silence

2008-05-14T06:50:00.002+08:00

At the end of time, billions of people were scattered on a great plain before God's throne. Most shrank back from the brilliant light before them. But some groups near the front talked heatedly, not with cringing shame, but with belligerence.

"Can God judge us? How can He know about suffering? " snapped a pert young brunette. She ripped open a sleeve to reveal a tattooed number from a Nazi concentration camp. "We endured terror...beatings...torture...death!" In another group an African American boy lowered his collar. "What about this?" he demanded showing an ugly rope burn. "Lynched, for no crime but being black". In another crowd, a pregnant school girl with sullen eyes, "Why should I suffer? "she murmured, "It wasn't my fault".

Far across the plain there were hundreds of such groups. Each had a complaint against God for the evil and suffering He permitted in His world. How lucky God was to live in heaven where all was sweetness and light, where there was no weeping or fear, no hunger or hatred. What did God know of all that man had been forced to endure in this world? For God lives a pretty sheltered life, they said.

So each of these groups sent forth their leader, chosen because he had suffered the most. A Jew, an African American, a person from Hiroshima, a horribly deformed arthritic, a thalidomide child. In the centre of the plain they consulted with each other. At last they were ready to present their case. It was rather clever.

Before God could be qualified to judge, he must endure what they had endured. Their decision was that God should be sentenced to live on earth as a man!

Let him be born a Jew. Let the legitimacy of his birth be doubted. Give him a work so difficult that even his family will think him out of his mind when he tries to do it. Let him be betrayed by his closest friends. Let him face false charges, be tried by a prejudiced jury and convicted by a cowardly judge. Let him be tortured.

At last let him see what it is like to be terribly alone. Then let him die. Let him die so that there can be no doubt that he died. Let there be a great host of witnesses to verify it.

As each leader announced his portion of the sentence, loud murmurs of approval went up from the throng of people assembled. When the last had finished pronouncing sentence, there was a long silence. No-one uttered another word. No-one moved. For suddenly all knew that God had already served his sentence.

(Playlet by Anonymous)

Mission

2008-05-10T14:04:00.005+08:00

I believe that everybody has a mission in life...

Some people feel responsible for...
the hunting of whales,
the poverty in the world,
the saving of endangered pandas,
the needy children in poor countries,
the depleting resources our planet has,
the increasing pollution in our environment,
the excessive lumbering operations in our forest,
the peacekeeping operations in countries in chaos,

the physics of nature and all things,
the exploration of the cosmos and universe,
the exploration in the deep waters,
the search for more renewable resources,
the search for cancer cures,
and many more...

Let us complete the responsibility and mission God has set in our hearts...
We need to take care of our planet that God has given us...

God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground." (Genesis 1:28)

The Beatitudes

2008-05-08T09:27:00.006+08:00

Click to enlarge photo.

I made this to be my desktop background a few years back in my uni years.
If anybody's wondering, the grass is the property of UWA.